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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : November 6, 2014 1:51 PM IST
In fearful situations the brain dissociates the explicit memory of a negative event from the emotional response, a new research at the Cognition and Brain Plasticity group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University of Barcelona has revealed.
What does the study disclose?
The study published in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, says that the brain encodes the relative memory (the place, what they saw, etc.) and the emotional response associated with a traumatic situation, differently.
In case of traumatic events, as the time passes the brain deletes a portion of memory or people do not have access to it. People forget the details but maintain an emotional response to it, explained Author Pau Packard. (Read: Can xenon be the cure for PTSD?)
What does it help understand?
The reason behind an uncontrolled emotional response being linked to a negative event is generated in post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) can be understood.
The project coordinator, Lluis Fuentemilla, elucidated that the study helps explain how the processing of fearful memories can lead to PTSD. This study also throws light on investigation of new therapeutic strategies for these disorders. (Read: Meditation can significantly reduce the effects of PTSD)
What is PTSD?
Noticed as early as the 19th Century in soldiers and called by various names including battle fatigue, the term was formally recognised by 1980. Simply talking, PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder which affects people who have suffered some sort of traumatic event like a near-death experience, sexual abuse or serious injury. It s a serious mental condition which can be debilitating on many levels.
PTSD is a popular plot device in cinemas. In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark often suffered from anxiety attacks which were caused due to the events of the previous film The Avengers when he almost dies while trying to destroy the Chitauri (alien invaders) mothership with a nuclear missile. Even Bruce Wayne as a child and young adult was afraid of bats because of an incident when he was trapped in a well with bats (but being Batman he conquered that fear and even made that symbol to strike fear in others).
How is PTSD diagnosed?
According to psychotherapist Rachel Hercman, one is suffering from the condition only if the symptoms recur for a month. The initial symptoms are called Acute Stress Disorder and only if they continue for more than a month is the condition considered PTSD. Not all people who go through a traumatic event develop PTSD, but all those who had PTSD have been through a traumatic event. There are a standard set of psychological tests to diagnose the condition which includes disturbing flashbacks, avoiding the memories of the event or high anxiety levels. Read more about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD needs to be recognised and treated
With inputs from ANI
Photo source: Getty images
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